Nepal is truly popular as a Himalayan kingdom. The presence of massif Himalayan panorama makes Nepal one of the premier destinations for trekking, hiking, climbing, mountaineering, heli tour and mountain flight. Among these various activities, day hiking and trekking in Nepal are one of the finest ways of exploring Nepal and its Himalayas. Day hikes are easy hiking in the foothills of mountain. The landscapes, lush forest, traditional settlements, friendly ethnic groups and their unique and mesmerizing mountain views are the prime highlights of day hiking in Nepal.
Do you know a reality about day hikes in Nepal? The day hikes, actually, takes us to the foothills which are very close to the cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara. We are going to discuss about the day hikes which are close to Kathmandu and Pokhara and known as the best day hikes in Nepal. Now, let’s discuss and explore about these day hikes in Nepal extensively with their interesting facts and highlights.
Nagarkot Day Hike
Have you heard about Nagarkot before? It is a popular mountain and sunrise view point near Kathmandu. It is located in the northeast from Kathmandu. We need to pass via Bhaktapur and get Nagarkot after 1.30 minutes’ drive from central Thamel. It is located at an elevation of 2195 m and 32 km away from the capital city. The mountain views panorama include Langtang, Annapurna, Jugal, Ganesh, Everest(you may read: Where is mount Everest located?) are magnificent to witness from Nagarkot. At the same time, the stunning sunrise makes us absolutely amazed.
Nagarkot Day Hike is on the ridge of Kathmandu valley experiencing both the capital city and the country life. This blended flavor of hiking via lush forest, picturesque settlements and landscapes witnessing snow-fed mountain summits will be an astonishing experience for the lifetime. This day hike is done with two objectives: enhancing stamina for other longer trekking or hiking and to experience country life along with spectacular mountain views.
Namobuddha Day Hike
Namobuddha is popular as one of the most holy Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal and in the world. Located 40 km away to the east from Kathmandu, Namobuddha offers us a divine pilgrimage through beautiful forest from Banepa or alternatively from Dhulikhel nearby Kathmandu.
Namobuddha is popular for a beautiful myth in which Buddha, in his previous birth, offered his body to the hungry tigress and her cubs. This stamina enhancing day hike to Namobuddha through serenity will be absolutely magnificent. The peaceful surrounding and the prayer flags of the monastery lets us feel like we are totally healed.
Moreover Buddha has been a favorite hub for picnic. Many schools,colleges and organizations organize picnic in Namobuddha. So that they can take break from regular activities as can observe monastery,peace and natural beauty. Even Namobuddha day hiking is popular among youths who wants to skip from busy cities like Kathmandu, Lalitpur(Patan) and Bhaktapur.
Dhampus Day Hike
Dhampus Day Hike is located in Annapurna region near Pokhara. Like Sarangkot, Dhampus is a popular viewpoint to witness Annapurna mountain range. It is a beautiful village facing to Annapurna Himalayas. To get Dhampus, we take a 1.30 hrs drive to Phedi and hike all the way up via beautiful traditional settlements, landscapes and lush forest. We hike for 2-3 hours and finally get to Dhampus. We are stunned to see spectacular mountain views and the sunrise. The mountain views include Annapurna massif, Gangapurna, Himchuli, Manaslu and Ganesh Himal. Dhampus is a worth visiting place in Annapurna region.
Phulchowki Day Hike
Phulchoki hill(2782m) is another popular hill station like Nagarkot and Chandragiri nearby Kathmadnu located in the southeast. To begin Phulchowki hiking, we drive 14 km from Kathmandu to Godawari Botanical garden to begin Phulchoki hiking. Phulchoki hill is not only popular for day hike but also for paragliding. This is the only spot to do paragliding near Kathmandu valley. From Godawari, we pass via deep forest and hike up to the top of the hill station. Similarly, Phulchoki hill station offers us splendid view of Annapurna range to Gaurishanker and also the Kathmandu valley. Thus, Phulchoki Day hike is a perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu.
Sarangkot Day Hike
Do you know the Pokhara tour is supposed to be incomplete without visiting Sarangkot hill station? This day hike begins from Lakeside Pokhara and ends at the same point. The hike is via lush forest viewing serene Phewa Lake and beautiful Pokhara city. Locating at an elevation of 1600m, it offers breathtaking mountain panorama and sunrise.
The mesmerizing mountain summits include Annapurna Massif, Gangapurna, Dhaulagiri, Himchuli, Ganesh Himal and Manaslu. Sarangkot is not only popular as a mountain viewpoint but also a hub for paragliding these days. Do not miss to experience the thrills of adventurous paragliding from Sarangkot while doing your Sarangkot Day hike.
Hope the above article will assist you a lot to make the finest choice of day hike in Nepal. We recommend you to go with one of these day hikes if are looking forward doing day hike in Nepal. These day hikes are absolutely magnificent to celebrate you holiday in Nepal experiencing Nepal’s mountain and countryside.
If you want to do day hikes in Nepal and have any queries then feel free to contact us. If you enjoy reading our blog and have any views on this then do comment.